Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Silver dollar pancakes are going out of style

Ok, don’t freak out, I am just kidding. But, at the Union here on campus the staff make pancakes that instead of silver dollar size are equivalent to the size of my head. It is really quite an experience to get a pancake from Davis Café. I would highly recommend it if you haven’t done so, if you have extra Bonus Bucks to use, or if you just need a delicious pancake one weekday morning.

Being the food nerd that I am, I like to watch the whole pancake-making process. First of all, it is always the same lady that makes the pancakes. Actually, she makes all of the eggs, pancakes, and breakfast sandwiches which is a feat in itself (truly a jack of all trades). She squirts a bottle and I can hear the butter squirt out and sizzle on the flat top. Then she takes a heaping ladle full of batter and drops it in a perfect circle to start the cooking. Although she goes about her other orders, it is like she has an internal timer. She knows just when the one side has gotten golden brown enough to flip it with her spatula. It is a metal spatula but not a wide one that would make it easy but a slender one that is also used for eggs. The second side doesn’t take as long and isn’t as much fun to watch because there are no batter bubbles to observe. The smell wafting through the small space makes me inch my way over to the counter where completed orders are placed. It is a tough balance, to be ready to get to my pancake when it is at its warmest and trying not to seem overly desperate. But I am there by the time she calls my name. As if I was not following the trajectory of that fresh-off-the-griddle pancake from the flat top to the plate and finally into my hands!

The $1.25 price tag is extremely affordable for the huge quantity and amazing quality. When I get the plate back to my seat, I am so excited to eat that I almost forget that I brought my camera. But alas, I remember and take a picture, although not great quality (can you blame me?). I am joining a friend for breakfast so have to restrain myself somewhat. First I pick at the edges, where browned butter has has gathered into delicate crispy pieces. These melt in my mouth and then I start on the main attraction. It too has a buttery taste and is not overly sweet. Last time I had a pancake here, I used syrup but this time I refrained. The buttery-ness of the pancake comes through more without the syrup. It also seems slightly lighter and fluffier without syrup, although if you want something sweet go for it! Although the pancake literally hung over the plate (the plate appears in cognito but it is under there) I still ate it all. It was wonderful and although it was not healthy by any means it wasn’t heavy.

So treat yourself to a pancake on a weekday, just because! If you make one or have a particularly amusing pancake story/picture post it!

For example, here is my epic fail of a pancake that I made a few weeks ago. The marshmallows for eyes was not a good idea (I had to improvise). Instead these made the pancake look like a mass murderer. Oops!